


the last and final stand

by SpiralSpectre



Series: Last Stand AU [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: (Based on a personal theory about Dream's lives), Ambiguous/Open Ending, An introduction to the AU And how it fits into canon, Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Canonical events, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Kinda, Last Stand AU, Minecraft Logic Taken Seriously, Realistic Minecraft, Temporary Character Death, The whole Three Lives thing expanded, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:47:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28065699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiralSpectre/pseuds/SpiralSpectre
Summary: The land of Dream’s SMP is an odd one. Stick around for a few hours and the number three will appear somewhere on your body.It doesn’t fade or change at all the first couple months, leading everyone to believe it doesn’t mean anything, until the citizens of L’Manburg are lead into the final control room and their numbers drop down to two.Three lives, that’s what everyone gets before they die for good.Well… Almost everyone.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Darryl Noveschosch & Sapnap, Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, Niki | Nihachu & Wilbur Soot, No Romantic Relationship(s), Tubbo & Tommyinnit
Series: Last Stand AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2055912
Comments: 8
Kudos: 176





	the last and final stand

**Author's Note:**

> First Dream SMP Fic Pog?

The first time Tommy officially joins Dream's SMP, the number three appears on the back of his right hand.

He thought he imagined it at first. He had been in the middle of unpacking his things when he noticed a tattoo of some sort that sure as _hell_ wasn’t there before. Tommy tried to scrub it off with soap and water but when it didn’t fade, he squawked in disbelief and ran off to find someone to explain it. _Someone_ had to have done it, there wasn't any other explaination.

The first person he had found was Sapnap, who promptly laughed at him when he fumbled with how to explain it and instead turned his confusion to fury. Tommy was halfway through giving him a piece of his mind when Sapnap suddenly pulled up the sleeve of his shirt all the way up to his shoulder and Tommy’s mouth clamped shut at what he saw.

The number three was printed onto his bicep, identical to Tommy's. Sapnap only laughed harder at Tommy’s face and told him that it was just a thing that happened. None of them knew why the numbers appeared upon settling in on Dream's SMP, but they did, and in different places too.

Sapnap told Tommy that George’s appeared on his leg and how he freaked out just as hard as Tommy had when he saw it. Tommy asked where Dream’s was. Sapnap paused, eyebrows furrowing.

Sapnap told Tommy that Dream mentioned having one on his back but he had never seen it himself. The numbers seemed to have spooked Dream the most, a fact that Sapnap mentioned offhandedly at first, then immediately told Tommy to never bring it up.

Tommy looked down at the number engraved on his fist. It was probably nothing- why should he waste his breath over something so insignificant? Besides, Tubbo was going to join him soon enough, he could see if the same was for him too.

Sure enough, it happened for him too, as it did for everyone who joined Dream's SMP, whether or not they stayed.

Tubbo’s appeared on the upper part of the back of his neck. Tommy almost missed it until Tubbo’s back was turned to him and he let out an ear piercing scream that nearly gave Tubbo a heart attack.

Tommy had to get Tubbo a mirror for him to see it properly. The pair talked all night about what it meant but in the end, couldn’t settle on anything.

Nikki’s was on the palm of her hand. Wilbur’s was on his lower back. Fundy’s was harder to find but eventually they discovered it appeared on the bottom of his foot.

Eret’s was small, right next to their eyes, and impossible to spot from under their reflective, dark glasses. They hid it, and just like their eyes, Tommy had only seen it once. Underneath those glasses were white, pupil-less eyes, and a small number three.

Three, three, three. The number never changed. Everyone who joined had it and in the end, Tommy stopped questioning it. He had bigger things to worry about, like leading a revolution alongside Wilbur and ensuring a future for L’Manburg. The numbers became normal, fading away into irrelevancy.

Until Eret led them into a dark room, pushed a button, and the rest of them were ambushed. Dream and his friends tore them apart and they began the process of respawning.

But it was different this time.

Tommy had died and respawned before. Dream and the others had killed them a few times, others came from mobs or his own recklessness, but he always came back. He always woke up in his bed feeling like he was falling for one second but felt completely fine otherwise.

This however, was agonizing.

The pain echoed through his body and Tommy bit back a genuine pained scream. He could feel his body being pieced back together again at a rate that felt insufferably slow. For the first time, dying felt real and it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Tommy jolted up in his bed in a cold sweat. He stumbled to find the others- Wilbur, Fundy, _Tubbo-_ grouping up with them again only to find them in the same state. 

Fundy was breathing heavily, eyes darting around like he wasn’t sure of what was and wasn’t real. Wilbur kept a steady hand on him and seemed to be the most put together out of the bunch but the look on his eyes, sullen and far away, told a different story. Tubbo’s eyes, wide and uncertain, landed on Tommy and rushed to him in an instant.

It took them all a long while to settle down from the dread in their chests and talk about what the hell just happened. All of them had felt it- that death had lasting effects on all of them and they didn’t know _why._

Until Tommy looked down and the world stopped.

“My- _my number changed?”_

The number three was gone, now replaced by the number two, plain as day. Wilbur, Fundy, and Tubbo all froze before they all checked their own numbers. Tommy knew what they would be before they even saw them.

Two, two, two. 

A theory was on his tongue but Tommy didn’t say it. None of them wanted to say it, even if it might be true.

They had a revolution to fight- they were just _betrayed-_ they could deal with the numbers later.

Tommy didn’t think he could shake it off but everything went by so quickly that it slipped his mind for a while. Instead, he watched as L’Manburg was blown to pieces, taking the van with it, and Wilbur was forced to make a treaty. Tommy was supposed to remain silent and cooperative but his mouth moved faster than his head and before he knew it, he challenged Dream to a duel.

No armor. Ten paces. All for the sake of his country.

Tommy, to his credit, was quick to whip around and fire as soon as Wilbur gave the go ahead. But Dream was just as quick and unlike Tommy, he didn’t miss.

The arrow landed right on Tommy’s throat. It wasn’t an instant death but it was a quick one, though Tommy still remembers so vividly how he choked on his own blood trying to tell Tubbo he would be okay.

Tommy jolted up in his bed in a cold sweat. His vocal cords were strained and it hurt to try and speak. Distantly, Tommy wondered if Dream aimed for his throat on purpose, a punishment for speaking out.

Not that it mattered. Not after Tommy spotted the number one on his fist and let out a strangled cry.

He has to pocket it for later, no matter how unsteady his breathing gets. Because L’Manburg still isn’t free and Tommy still has one last deal to make.

The disks are traded- both of them for L’Manburg’s freedom. Everyone else celebrates and Tommy tries his best to do the same but the loss of his most prized possessions on top of the one printed onto his skin isn’t something he can ignore.

(Tommy doesn’t notice how Dream freezes while Tommy is handing over the disks and Dream spots the number on the back of his hand.)

Late at night while Fundy and Nikki are fast asleep, Tommy sits around the campfire with Wilbur and Tubbo. Tommy finally shows them his number, willing his hand to stay still, and watch as horror dawns across their faces.

They’ve all figured out what it means now. One life left. Tommy had three and now he has _one._

“So… If you reach zero, does that mean..?” Tubbo starts to say but falls flat. He doesn’t want to think about it, none of them do.

It hangs in the air, heavy and stealing all the breath away from Tommy’s lungs until he has to gasp for it.

One life left. Tommy has one life left and he’s sure as hell going to make sure he’s not losing it anytime soon.

There’s still so much to do. L’Manburg needs rebuilding, Wilbur needs his right hand man, and Tubbo needs his best friend.

Tommy isn’t wasting his last life. He’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

—

Despite having two lives instead of one, Tubbo is far more cautious than Tommy.

The number one on Tommy’s skin haunts him, even if Tommy started wearing fingerless gloves to cover it up. Tubbo still knows it’s there, he can’t forget it. His dreams are plagued by Tommy’s lifeless eyes and the number zero displayed for everyone to see.

Tubbo is one death away from losing his best friend and he will do anything to keep him safe. Even if it means going against his greatest fears and spying for him.

Everything about Schlatt makes Tubbo jumpy and his lies are getting worse. He can’t lie as easily as Fundy or Wilbur, he struggles to come up with false alibis and lies that actually make sense.

(Tubbo blurts out to Schlatt that he’s pregnant. He feels like he’s going to lose a life on the spot as the president slowly raises his eyebrow at him. He _really_ needs to get better at lying.)

Tubbo tried his best to be a good spy. He figured he’d get caught eventually but not so easily and certainly not like this. He didn’t think the president would call him out on stage in the middle of the festival.

It all happens so fast. Schlatt boxes him in, calls Technoblade up on stage, and after a couple minutes of Techno trying to steer around the idea of killing Tubbo, eventually the pressure sets in and Techno raises the crossbow up to be aimed at Tubbo.

Techno tells Tubbo he’s sorry. Tubbo silently wonders if he knows about the lives before he feels pain explode throughout his body and he’s on fire.

Tubbo tries to scream but a second shot kills him on the spot. Then he falls, farther and farther down, hearing Tommy’s screams get more and more distant before-

Tubbo jolted up in his bed in a cold sweat. His skin feels like he’s on fire and he doesn’t need a mirror to know what his number is now. Everything hurts and the first thing he does is try and find Tommy.

The second he does, Tubbo holds onto his best friend like a lifeline (and definitely doesn’t let out a few frustrated tears out but if he does, Tommy doesn’t say anything about it and neither does anybody else upon seeing Tommy’s damp shoulder and Tubbo’s puffy, red eyes). 

They slowly regroup after the disaster that is the festival, Tommy glued to Tubbo’s side and Nikki joining them with a concerned look on her face. She’s never lost a life but she knows all about the pain that losing one comes with all the same from comforting others.

Tubbo has only seen Wilbur openly vulnerable once, on accident. The day after Tommy and Wilbur were banished and Wilbur was shot in the process, Tubbo finds the pair in a corner of Pogtopia. Nikki has her arm around Wilbur and holds him close to her chest. Wilbur looks more relaxed than Tubbo has seen him since he came to the SMP. 

Wilbur speaks in a tone Tubbo can’t quite hear. Nikki responds softly and just as quietly. Tubbo leaves them alone, feeling out of place.

(He learns later that getting shot caused Wilbur to lose a life. Tubbo can’t help but wonder if they were talking about that.)

Tubbo thinks about this Wilbur he saw before, gentle and still, and the one he sees before him, and can’t help but do a double take that they’re the same person.

This Wilbur doesn’t look kind. Tommy mentioned that something was wrong with Wilbur before but Tubbo looks at him now and doesn’t even recognize him. All he speaks of is revenge and he doesn’t seem as bothered by Tubbo’s death.

If anything, Wilbur looks like he’s trying to use Tubbo’s death as some sort of stepping stone. It’s sickening in the worst way possible.

Techno joins the rest of them in Pogtopia almost seemingly nervous, which is impressive on its own given he’s wearing full netherite and his face is as neutral as ever.

According to the rest of them, Techno killed a lot of people, including both Schlatt and Quackity. According to Techno, he had no idea this whole concept of ‘Lives’ was a thing.

(Techno’s number is brandished on his forearm like a weapon, whether he knows it or not. He doesn’t make an effort to hide it, the number three displayed proudly. 'Technoblade never dies' rings true.)

Tommy and Techno fight in a pit against Tubbo’s protests. He’s so tired of violence, especially now given he only has one life left on him. Tommy attempts to cheer him up, telling him that no matter what happens, last life or not, they’ll always be a team.

It helps just a little. Though in Tubbo’s dreams, his own body now appears next to Tommy’s, the zero seared into his brain. 

Tubbo’s two greatest fears as his own death and Tommy’s death. He’ll do anything to make sure these two things don’t come to pass.

_Anything._

—

Quackity has only lost a life once.

His number is placed on the hip. Everyone’s numbers seem to be in different places but Quackity can’t tell if that’s significant or not. The whole concept of ‘Lives’ confuses him because he has died hundreds of times but he only lost a life from one of them.

The festival. Quackity didn’t try and stop Schlatt or Techno from killing Tubbo and as a result, his vision is blinded as fireworks hit his chest and everything burns. 

The first hit doesn’t kill him, but he wishes it did. Because Quackity has a moment of pure pain before everything lights up again. Quackity isn’t quick enough to move out of the way before a second hit finishes the job and Quackity feels a nothingness take over.

Quackity chokes on darkness, eyes burning but he doesn’t know why, and everything around him falls away and takes him with it. Something loud rings in his ears and the burning sensation takes over before-

Quackity jolted up in his bed in a cold sweat. The sound of fireworks is far too close and despite no scars left behind, Quackity clutches onto his chest like he can still feel the burning before slipping out of bed and racing back to the festival.

It’s a massacre. An honest to god massacre, and Technoblade runs away from it, unscathed.

(Quackity was already wary of Technoblade but now he can’t look at him without hearing fireworks in his ears and a burning feeling in his chest.)

Quackity doesn’t realize until far later that the crossfire caused him to lose a life. He nearly doesn’t notice at all until he spots Schlatt’s number, printed on the side of his neck, has gone down to two. And given they were in the same accident, Quackity rushes to check his own. 

An icy grip gets its hands on Quackity’s heart and threatens to stop it. But when he wavers and shows weakness, Schlatt yells at him to suck it up and how it doesn’t _matter_ how many lives he has. Quackity steadies himself but his mind doesn’t waver off the two printed on his hip.

Quackity has only lost one life but never wants to lose another again.

Quackity has also taken someone else’s life.

He was just so _angry._

The White House was something he helped build- one of the few things he deeply cared about. He put his blood, swear, and tears into building it, which Quackity means literally because it was a pain to put together, but he did it and it was his.

Schlatt hands him a pickaxe and tells him to tear it down. When Quackity refuses, he starts to do it himself, ripping apart the walls like the building means _nothing._

Quackity tries to argue against it but Schlatt doesn’t listen. _He never does._ The walls slowly get broken down, his attempts at reasoning with Schlatt falls on deaf ears, and something inside Quackity _snaps._

He aims his bow at Schlatt and tells him firmly to stop. Schlatt tells him he doesn’t have the guts to kill him. Quackity sees red and releases the string before he can even process what he’s doing.

Schlatt’s dead body tumbles down the stairs and crashes at Quackity’s feet. Frustration courses through his veins- _he never listens_ \- and Quackity has half a mind to spit on it before it dissolves. He nearly does, just to stick it to Schlatt before he inevitably has to make a run for it. 

Then the breath from his lungs is stolen as he watches as the number on the body changes. Two flickers to one before the body turns to dust.

The weight of his action dawns on him. He’s running into the woods before he can even feel his legs moving.

(Sure enough, next time Quackity meets with Schlatt, there’s a one printed neatly on the side of his neck. His eyes bore into Quackity’s, mercilessly. Even if he doesn’t say it outloud, Quackity gets the message.

_‘You did this to me.’)_

Quackity joins Pogtopia’s side in hopes to stop Schlatt. He wants to overthrow him- kill him if absolutely necessary but otherwise, throw him into jail and throw away the key. When the final battle comes, he imagines the glory of being able to fight Schlatt himself.

Instead, he watches as Schlatt, barely lucid, collapses on the ground after a heart attack seizes his chest. Everyone else is shell shocked, glancing around the room like they’re at a loss for what to do as the man who terrorized them for weeks now lies dead on the ground. Quackity however, doesn’t take his eyes off the number on his neck.

The number flickers to zero. Schlatt’s body doesn’t move, nor does it turn to dust.

Quackity is the first to know he’s dead and isn’t going to come back.

Quackity doesn’t know if he’s relieved or not.

—

Phil enters the SMP for the first time with an intent to talk one of his sons down from the greatest mistake of his life.

Less than twenty minutes later, his son is dying in his arms and smiling as he does.

There’s something so different about him now. Maybe it’s the dark circles under his eyes, worse than he’s ever seen them. Maybe it’s the old coat that overwhelmingly smells of gunpowder. Maybe it’s the fact that his smile is neither kind nor amused. It’s desperate.

Maybe it’s the fact that there’s a number one near the base of his neck that wasn’t there before.

It doesn’t matter. Phil holds his son close to his chest and nothing else matters but that.

Until Wilbur whispers that Techno has six wither skulls in his possession and the world is pulled out from under Phil for a second time.

(When he finally lets go of Wilbur, his eyes are dulled beyond recognition. There’s a zero where the one once was. Phil tries not to think about it too hard.)

Everything moves so fast after that. Techno spawns in two withers, Phil has to help kill both of them, L’Manburg is blown to pieces (once again), everyone divides into groups based on their ideals and Phil watches as his two remaining sons have nothing but resentment for each other.

So needless to say, Phil doesn’t learn about the numbers until he has enough time to breathe, which takes around two days.

Wilbur’s funeral isn’t a public event but half the SMP comes to it anyways. Phil is the one who lays his son down to rest, for the second time now, and stays close by his grave as everyone gives their final goodbyes.

Nikki speaks softly of the good times. Fundy asks why he did it a dozen or so times and doesn’t expect an answer, but seems disappointed nonetheless. Eret’s remorse is damn near palpable and Phil is increasingly glad he didn’t share Wilbur’s final words before he pushed the button when they start to cry. Tubbo leaves flowers on his grave and tells him that he’ll fix L’Manburg, though there’s a slight edge to his words.

Those who weren’t especially close with Wilbur instead talk to Phil. George and Sapnap both give their regards. A few- Quackity, Karl, and Skeppy- try and talk to Phil like they’re trying to cheer him up, which Phil appreciates even if there’s an ache in his chest that never quite leaves. Two members from a group known as the Badlands, Antfrost and Awesamdude, give him a pat on the shoulder and a sympathetic look as they pass. Bad is the only one who offers him a hug, which Phil finds himself taking.

Dream doesn’t get within five feet of the grave, watching from the back of the funeral with an unreadable stance. Despite this, he’s one of the last people to leave.

(Neither Techno nor Tommy say a word. Techno was to be expected, he was always better with a sword. Instead, he lays a hand on Wilbur’s grave solemnly before leaving and never looking back.

Tommy however, is concerning. All he has for Wilbur are angry tears and unspoken mixed emotions that boil over until he marches off, the first to leave the funeral. 

Phil has only a vague idea of what happened, pieced together through frantic letters he’s been receiving over the months. It hurts to see Tommy so bitter at his brother but Phil can’t find it in him to blame him.)

The very last people to leave the funeral are Nikki, Eret, Bad, and Phil himself. They all clean up the area and while the other three talk amongst themselves, Phil remains silent as he works, though the soft chatter is comforting. It makes Phil feel just a little less alone. 

Wilbur’s death still burns in his mind. Phil goes over the events in his head until he understands everything that happened (and tries not to think about how he could’ve changed it) except for one thing. One small variable that doesn’t make sense.

“Hey uh-” Phil turns to say and is shocked by how quickly the other three snap to attention. They stare at him expectantly and almost sympathetically. Phil isn’t a fan of being handled with kid gloves but he knows if he were in their shoes, he would be the same.

He swallows roughly, trying not to think about how long everyone is going to be watching their steps around him. Losing a son is bad enough but he doesn’t want everyone treating him like he’s going to break at any moment or he might actually. 

“Wil had uh… A number near the base of his neck?” Phil sounds ridiculous saying it but recognition flickers in all of their eyes, or in Eret’s case, in their posture.

“It’s something that happens on this SMP.” Nikki explains. “Everyone who joins, even temporarily, has the number three that appears somewhere on their body.”

Bad nods in agreement. “Mine’s over my heart!” He pats the left side of his chest as he speaks. “And Skeppy’s is near same area but on his back.”

Nikki holds up the palm of her left hand, showing off a number three printed there. Phil’s eyebrows knit together.

“We don’t know why the number appears on everyone that comes by but it does. It’ll disappear if you leave though. It did for Ninja.” Eret explains once they notice the look on Phil’s face.

“Wil- he had a number one on him but then it changed to zero.”

Phil watches as all three of them collectively wince and go silent. Phil has to give them an expectant look before Bad steps forward.

“The number represents how many lives you have.” Bad says carefully. “You can’t lose them through regular things like creeper explosions or friendly duals- or even some _unfriendly_ duals- but the number goes down when you lose one. And when you reach zero… You don’t respawn.”

The last part comes out a whisper, even if Bad didn’t mean it to, coughing into his hand once he finishes. Phil understands why- he almost wants to tell them all to drop the sympathy but his chest still aches and he can’t find it in him to do so.

“And Wil was on his last life?” 

Nikki nods. “One from the control room, one from being killed while being exiled, and his last from…” She trails off.

“Control room?” Phil asks. Eret visibly flinches and Phil decides not to press. “Right. How is something determined as… Urgent enough to lose a life?”

“Oh, well, Skeppy and I had a theory.” Bad says. “We think that you can only lose a life if you’re killed and the person who’s killing you wants you _dead_ dead, y’know? Like- like they’re _trying_ to hurt you in a way where you won’t recover easily.”

Then all goes still as they slowly process Bad’s words. Bad quickly fumbles when he realizes the weight of them. “I- I didn’t mean it like _that!”_

“No… It makes sense.” Eret answers, although haltingly. “I… I wanted to stop Wilbur and everyone else from bouncing back from the revolution so easily. They were meant to be set back by the control room. Even if… Even if I didn’t mean it like that, it _did_ set them back.”

“Wil wanted me to kill him.”

Phil doesn’t mean to blurt it out like he does but when everyone turns back to him with wide eyes, Phil knows he can’t take it back. “He- he put the sword in my hand and kept begging me to. I told him I didn’t want to- he’s my _son-_ but… But Wil insisted and he didn’t look happy so I did it. I killed him because I wanted him to rest and… I got my wish.”

Phil doesn’t have anything to say after that. The rest of them eventually go back to talking but Phil doesn’t join them. They pack up the rest of the funeral and Phil waves them all off as they leave.

Phil takes exactly one minute to put himself together before leaving as well.

That night, he searches for his own number. It takes him a bit to find- couldn’t be in an easy place with his luck- but eventually he gets a mirror to check his back and spots it.

There are two things Phil notes upon seeing it. The first is the fact that it’s right where his elytra would be if he put it on, which feels almost intentional. The second is the fact that the number one stares back at him almost mockingly.

One life. Everyone else said they started with three but Phil has one and only one.

A fact that Phil quietly decides to keep to himself. His sons already lost their brother, they don’t need to worry about losing him so quickly too.

—

Dream has never let anyone see his number. 

Not even Bad, not even Sapnap, not even George.

It started as a spur of the moment and panicked decision when Sapnap and George brought up their own numbers. Sapnap’s, displayed proudly on his bicep, and George’s, displayed uncertainly on his shin. Both of them had threes, a number that taunted Dream every moment of his waking life.

He had lied then, both about the number and about the location. Ironically, Dream was used to keeping things close to the chest but in the case of his number, it was literal. Dream was never sure if he should be relieved that it was easy to keep under wraps given it was placed on the center of his chest, or the slightest bit insecure because it felt like it meant something about him. Something he couldn’t quite decipher.

It didn’t matter. Nobody needed to know, not even his closest friends.

With each person that joined, the numbers continued to appear. Each and every one of them was a three from what Dream could tell, and he didn’t know why.

Why the number three? Why did the number appear at all? 

_Why did everyone else have a different number than him?_

It always stayed in the back of his mind, even in war. Even if the numbers were seemingly insignificant, Dream never forgot them. He made a mental note of everyone’s number placements when they came.

(Karl and Jack’s were both on their wrists, Karl’s on his right and Jack’s on his left. 

Karl, whose number could be seen anytime he cheerfully waved at anyone he saw. 

Jack’s, whose number could be seen anytime he shook someone’s hand, ever the business man.

Antfrost had his on the side of his jaw, right under his ear, which Dream noticed the most when he smiled.

Awesamdude’s was on the side of his ribs, rarely visible but Dream was reminded of it when they stood side by side.

Skeppy’s was on his back, mirroring Bad’s. Skeppy, who always had his friend’s backs when they needed him most and had an inseparable relationship with Bad.

Dream was getting increasingly convinced that the placements meant something.

Dream kept all of these thoughts to himself.)

War came and went with both sides winning in one aspect or another. Dream couldn’t help but feel like he had gotten the better end of the deal, with both disks in his possession.

Dream grinned behind his mask, then the world froze when he finally noticed the number on Tommy’s hand.

No longer three, but now one.

(In that moment, Dream had never been happier that he always wears a mask.)

Dream never wanted to admit what he suspected the numbers meant but now it was impossible not to. Even so, he checked the people of L’Manburg for himself and sure enough, Tubbo, Fundy, and Wilbur’s numbers had all changed to two.

Lives. The numbers meant how many lives they had. It didn’t take a genius to figure it out.

In the dead of night and far from prying eyes, Dream slowly took off his armor and hoodie until he was staring at his own number face to face for the first time since he had gotten it. He didn’t like to think about it, even if he could rarely do anything but.

The number one stared back at him, taunting him as it always did.

Everyone else started with three lives. Dream started with one.

One life until he died for real. At any time, someone could kill him and that would be it for him.

Dream clutched his hoodie in his hands until his knuckles turned white. The very idea of anyone finding out shocked him to his very soul. Dream didn’t like not being in control and _hated_ the idea of being in someone else’s control of him, but this? Being a step away from death? If anyone found out, they could _ruin_ him.

Logically, Dream knew that George, Sapnap, and Bad wouldn’t use this against him, even if at some point they somehow became enemies. In fact, he doubted even Ant, Sam, or Skeppy would use it against him either if they knew- but Dream couldn’t afford the risk that trust came with. It felt as if the grim reaper was breathing down his neck anytime he got involved in conflict, always reminding him of what was to come.

So Dream had to stay prepared.

Dream stocked up on golden apples and rarely took off his armor, oftentimes sleeping in it, even though it was uncomfortable. Not that Dream ever slept well as it was, constantly waking up to the slightest sounds. He never used to be a light sleeper before, now he wakes up to someone sneezing in the other room and has his sword in his hand before he realizes what he’s doing.

(“Wha- DREAM!” George had squawked, startling upon seeing him in the doorway.

“What are you- _whoa.”_ Sapnap froze on the spot when he glanced over. He recovered quicker, eyebrows quirking in concern. “...You good, dude?”

Dream had taken a long moment to respond. His instincts had gotten him this far but his mind was still catching up, still waking up. He blinked, staring at the two before glancing down at himself and specifically, the sword in his hands.

“...Yeah, I, uh-” Dream searched for the right words before settling with, “Just thought I heard something.”

“I _sneezed.”_ George says. “You- weren’t you asleep a minute ago?”

“I was.”

“Did you just wake up then?” Sapnap whistles in a low tone, eyeing the sword in his hand again. “Man, you’re usually so drowsy when you first wake up. Never seen you look this _menacing_ before. You have a bad dream or something?”

The number one flashes in his mind. Dream swallows quietly. “Something like that.” He tells them. “I’m… I’m gonna go back to bed.”

Dream didn’t sleep for the rest of that night. If they noticed, George and Sapnap don’t bring it up.)

Dream has one life and he can’t forget this fact. The paranoia eats at him, the fear and adrenaline of survival kicking in anytime he’s in danger, even jokingly.

You can never be too careful. Not when you’re at a disadvantage from everyone else. Not when you could die so easily from one little accident.

Dream does the one thing he does best and puts on a mask- one of power and confidence that defies any thoughts that he could be weaker than anyone else.

Dream has one life, a disadvantage that seemingly no one else has, and he refuses to let anyone else know he’s weak.

**Author's Note:**

> So this is based off the idea that Dream only started with one life (Like Philza) and he's only pretending to be invincible to ward off any suspicion that he's not. Just the introduction to the AU, there will be more to come.
> 
> First time writing everyone, hope it went well. If you liked it, consider leaving a comment! Thanks for reading!


End file.
